Aston Villa are through to the last eight of the Europa League and sit fourth in the Premier League with signs Ollie Watkins is coming back to form
Ollie Watkins and Tammy Abraham
Ollie Watkins and Tammy Abraham(Image: Anna Gowthorpe/Shutterstock)
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Ross McCormack says the debate between Ollie Watkins and Tammy Abraham isn’t ‘close’.
The former Aston Villa striker believe Watkins suits Unai Emery’s system with his mobility and selfless link-up work.
And the 39-year-old, who had a difficult time at Villa Park after a £12million transfer from Fulham in 2016, pointed to Watkins’ pass to Leon Bailey in the 2-0 Europa League win over Lille as an example of his quality.
Villa were coasting through to the last eight when Emi Buendia appeared to send Watkins clear but instead of taking the shot on himself he laid on for Leon Bailey to roll into an empty net and secure passage through to the last eight.
Watkins followed that up with a goal against West Ham a few days later, his first Premier League goal for nearly two months – and with some calling for Abraham to be given more starts, McCormack has backed Unai Emery’s preference.
“I think Ollie Watkins, his assist [against Lille] just shows me that he's a top player,” he told BirminghamLive. “Nine strikers out of ten, what would they have done? They would have had the shot, probably missed, but he's just squared it to someone in a better position.
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“So I think when you're struggling a little bit and you've got them kind of characters who look out for the team more than they do themselves, that will shine through.
“I don't think they're the types to play together. I actually played against Ollie a lot when he was at Brentford and he came off the left when Benrahma and people like that were there, I don't think they can play together.
“I think Tammy's sort of one of them that likes to play up front himself so given that's my thought, I don't think it's close. I don't think Tammy's the same, I'm not saying he's a bad striker, but when Ollie Watkins is at it, he's one of the best in the Premier League.”
McCormack was signed by Roberto Di Matteo but the Italian lasted just four months and he never found his best under Steve Bruce.
Dean Smith and Steven Gerrard followed but Emery has taken Villa to heights that were barely imaginable during the Championship years.
McCormack admires Emery as much as he does Watkins: “Even if you're a player and you didn't enjoy working under someone like Unai Emery, I think there's lots of things that you could learn, you know, your positional sense, your position in the team, what you are there to do.
“Everyone's there to do a job. You can't deviate from the plan, or else you don't play. Simple as that.
“So I think there's a lot that you could take forward, even if you didn't enjoy his methods or his style of play or whatever it is.
“I'd have loved to play under every top manager, and I think Unai Emery in terms of what he's done with this Aston Villa squad, he's got to be up there as one of the best in the Premier League.”